


Meet Me in the Middle?

by justanotherfanwithtimeonherhands



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Aged Up, I dont do smut sorry, I love this show, Multi, My first fic on here ahhhh, Probably more tags idk, Thanks, i like angst, i love fluff though, miraculous - Freeform, please enjoy, simply the best
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-18
Updated: 2018-10-20
Packaged: 2019-05-24 19:16:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,983
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14960513
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/justanotherfanwithtimeonherhands/pseuds/justanotherfanwithtimeonherhands
Summary: Six years ago, they found small black boxes in their rooms.Now, the villain is gone and they begin to live their civilian lives with varying degrees of normalcy.





	1. Chapter 1: Confusion

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! What's up you guys, yes.  
> This is my first ever fic on ao3, and I'm super pumped!  
> Basically, in this au, it centers mostly around life after Hawkmoth is captured.  
> I'll be working my way to an adrienette wedding and kiddos (because I'm trash and I need more married au's in my life, so I'm writing one), but that will take some time.  
> I hope you guys enjoy!

The news coverage didn’t stop. The reporters had never been louder yelling Adrien’s name. Headlines of newspapers and television segments all flashed something along the lines of “ _Gabriel Agreste: famous fashion designer, and Hawkmoth?”_

Adrien just wished for some peace and quiet. If he had though his perfume ad five years ago was bad, this was surely going to be worse. His father had long since been arrested, caught by Paris’ two favorite superheroes who watched with baffled expressions as he was placed in the back of a police car, not sure if their eyes were deceiving them. Rena Rouge, Queen Bee, and Carapace had fled the scene not long before, their miraculouses beeping as they ran. Adrien wondered if they had heard the news.

Natalie had been taken in as well—someone as close to Gabriel as she would surely have known things—but the Gorilla was left alone.

It was for these reasons that Adrien stood in the entryway of his house, completely alone. The silence was deafening. Adrien did not know whether to cry or scream or laugh. His father, _the_ Gabriel Agreste, fashion mogul, mediocre-at-best father figure, and grieving widower was _Hawkmoth_? The man who never seemed to leave his house had somehow managed to terrorize a majority of Paris; the irony was almost too much to bear.

Tears welled in Adrien’s eyes, and, hidden from cameras, he let them come. His breathing increased, and he felt his heart begin to rush. He grasped at his tie, pulling it off as fast as he could, hoping for relief of the tightness in his chest. He barely even noticed the small, dark blur come to face him until it spoke.

“Hey, kid.” Said the little kwami, almost too quiet to hear over the ringing in his ears. “You should take a nap or something. You look awful.”

Adrien chuckled. He took a deep breath, wiped his eyes, and faced his friend. “And forget to feed you? I could never.” He gave Plagg a sad, pathetic smile as he walked into the kitchen. The staff throughout the house had been dismissed, each receiving a pension while they searched for other work. Unfortunately, no one wanted to hire the former chef of a supervillain, so Adrien had a feeling he would need to write some letters.

As he pulled a wheel of camembert out of the fridge and laid it out for Plagg, an idea occurred to him. He left his kwami to eat and walked up to his bedroom. The climbing wall and skate ramp had long since been replaced with a normal wall and an extended desk, and the bright, childish colors had been painted over by muted grey and green tones. Even his room did not feel welcoming today.

Adrien rifled through his closet until he found a soft blue t-shirt and a comfortable pair of dark grey sweatpants. He replaced his formal attire with the more comfortable ensemble. Simply changing his clothes made him feel better. The tightness of his suit jacket during the press conference had made him feel almost as imprisoned as his father had, and the shiny leather shoes with the small _Agreste_ butterfly logo had only reminded him of the cloud that now loomed over him.

Feeling freer, Adrien made his way back to the kitchen to find Plagg rummaging through the refrigerator, pulling out another wheel of cheese.

“The chefs must’ve really liked you, kid,” said the kwami, “because they left you a shelf of the cheese they think _you_ love.”

“I’ll have to remember to thank them on your behalf,” Adrien replied. “Though no more time for eating now. We have something to do.”

Before Plagg could question it, Adrien transformed and left out the kitchen’s service entrance at the back of the house. The red-tinted sky greeted him as he bounded across the rooftops. A breeze ruffled his hair while he ran towards Paris’ most familiar landmark. Most pedestrians looked up to see him pass, a few took pictures, but none stopped him. He supposed they felt at peace knowing that the villain that had terrorized them for six years was finally captured.

Once he had reached the top of the Eiffel Tower, he pulled out his staff and attempted to call Ladybug. He sighed as it rang only once before going to voicemail. She must not be transformed. He set his staff beside him and sat against the railing. Maybe, by some twist of fate, she’d still know to come. If not, at least Adrien would see a nice sunset.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_Hey, this is Adrien. Leave a message after th- “_

Marinette frowned and drew the phone away from her ear. Neither Nino nor Alya had heard from him since the press conference about his dad, and now that he wasn’t answering Marinette’s calls, she began to feel her worry grow.

She had been pacing her living room for the last ten minutes, building the courage to actually dial his number. “You’ve done this _millions_ of times, Dupain-Cheng, it’s just one measly call.” When she finally dialed the number, her heart had raced. Five years hadn’t done much to deter her feelings for the blonde-haired model, but at least she could control them now. She and Adrien had even become close friends throughout their final years of high school, and they had continued to stay close as Marinette began design school and Adrien entered into a more formal business contract with his father. She wondered what he would do now that Agreste Fashion had been defamed.

Now she stood facing one of the large windows in her living room that looked out over the park towards the Eiffel Tower. The sun was beginning to disappear, setting the sky on fire. Everything seemed so beautiful and peaceful, but Marinette couldn’t shake her worry.

She pulled up Adrien’s contact one more time and went to press the number, but she paused to look at his contact picture. It was from several months ago when they went to a festival with Alya and Nino. The latter two had gone to “get snacks,” leaving Marinette and Adrien alone in front of the long line of game booths. Adrien turned and smirked at her. “I bet you can’t beat me at the water-gun game,” he chided. That was all it took to set Marinette’s competitive spirit aflame.

In the end, they tied. The game technician had never seen it happen before, but he accepted it and let them each pick out a prize. The pair picked two large stuffed animals, and before she could challenge him to another game, Adrien turned to Marinette and held out the large dinosaur he had selected. “As a peace offering,” he said. “I never knew we were both competitive enough to tie.” They both laughed at this, and Marinette held out her own panda plush to him. “A trade.” She said, blushing slightly. Adrien smiled and took it, then removed his phone from his pocket and handed it to the game technician. “Could you take a picture for us?” he asked. The technician smiled and nodded, and Adrien lifted the large panda over his head. Marinette burst out laughing as Adrien praised them both, shouting to all those around about their “immense skill.”

The technician had captured that moment, and they had both agreed with was the best picture of the night. Marinette had changed it to be his contact photo that very night, and every time she saw it, it gave her something to smile about.

Only today, it was a little harder to smile. Mostly because she knew that Adrien was not.

She pressed his number again and let it ring. As she did, she saw a familiar black streak running from rooftop to rooftop. She realized that she had not seen Chat Noir since they sent Hawk-, Gabriel Agreste away.

_“Hey, this is Adrien. Leave a message after the beep. Thanks!”_

“Hey, Adrien.” Marinette began. “I don’t really know what to say. I know I can’t make anything better. But if you wanted to hang out, we could do Sushi Saturday early and play Ultimate Mecha Strike to take your mind off it. Or if you want to do something else that’s fine. Just… let me know. Nino, Alya, and I are all worried okay?” She paused. _You sound crazy._ “So yeah,” she began again, “just please call one of us back. Bye, Adrien.”

Marinette sighed and tossed her phone on the couch, just missing the little red kwami that sat on the cushion, munching on a cookie and watching reality tv. The little bug was hardly phased but the near-miss, but she turned to look at Marinette anyway. “Are you okay?” she asked.

Marinette sighed. “Yeah, I’m just worried.” Her mind wandered back to the black-clad superhero she had seen out her window only minutes ago. She really wanted to see him. She needed someone to vent to, and honestly, just someone to talk to. “Tikki, we gotta go.”

Tikki looked up, wide-eyed. “But wait! Theresa was just about to tell Fabian that-“

She didn’t get to finish the comment. Marinette stood, transformed in her living room, knowing that her parents would not be upstairs any time soon. “Sorry Tikki,” she said even though she wasn’t sure the kwami could hear her. “I recorded it for you, though.”

Ladybug opened the balcony doors and leaped off, tossing her yo-yo in the direction of her and Chat’s favorite spot. A strange relief set in at the thought of seeing her partner, but Ladybug ignored the thought and focused on getting to the Eiffel Tower as fast as she could.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The sun had set far enough that it was now hidden by the skyline, leaving only a small remnant of light dusting the sky. The lights of the city were beginning to turn on, including those of the Eiffel Tower on which Chat Noir sat, just high enough to where no one could reach him without superpowers of their own.

Everything seemed so quiet. Pedestrians walked along the sidewalks, stopping into shops, cafes, and patisseries without a care in the world.

Chat envied that. He would give anything to feel that free and naïve.

Lost in thought, he almost missed the soft landing of feet next to him. He turned around, and his night instantly got a little brighter. “I knew you’d come, Bugaboo,” he chided. “You can’t resist me.”

Ladybug gave him her trademark smirk and eye roll, laughing a little as she walked over to stand beside him, leaning on the railing. They stood in comfortable silence for a while until Chat raised the question, “How do you feel about all of this?”

Ladybug’s brow furrowed, looking almost frustrated. “Confused, I guess.” She replied.

“Yeah.” Chat said. “That sounds about right.”

Without looking at him, she continued. “It's like… we’ve spent most of the last six years or so fighting Hawkmoth. I’ve missed school and parties, I’ve forgotten homework and birthdays, I’ve lost sleep and the last shred of my free time, but I never thought twice about it. It was our responsibility.”

Chat nodded. “It’s strange,” he said. “But I get it. It’s become a routine, and I guess I’m not sure where we go from here. Do we stay Paris’ superheroes, or do we retreat back to our civilian lives until we are needed again?”

“I’m not sure.” Ladybug admitted. “At this point, there aren’t many things I _am_ sure about.”

This caught Chat off guard a little bit. “What do you mean.”

Ladybug paused, possibly mulling over whether or not to open up. She finally sighed, saying, “You know Gabriel Agreste? The guy we just found out was Hawkmoth?”

Chat almost laughed, but refrained and nodded in response.

“I’m friends with his son, Adrien.” She said.

Chat’s eyes widened. _Well, I wasn’t expecting that._ He began to wrack his brain, going through everyone she could possibly be. How could he have never realized she was this close? That they knew each other?

With all of this running through his head, it took him a second to realize that the red-clad superheroine next to him was crying.

“Ladybug?” he said, reaching out to lay a hand on her shoulder. “Hey, hey it’s okay.”

“No, it’s not!” she exclaimed, tears beginning to run down her cheeks. “It’s not fair! All Adrien ever did was fight for his dad’s approval. He’s spent the last seven years without his mom for crying out loud! He’s the most kind, selfless person you’ll ever meet, and somehow the world decided that his dad should be a supervillain.” She let out a wry laugh, more tears streaming down to her chin. “It’s just not fair.”

Chat didn’t know what to say. This was _him_ she was talking about.

His heart was racing. She’d called him kind and selfless. She was hurting for him. All she wanted was for him to be happy, but he didn’t realize that she was his joy. Even at this moment, she made him happy.

As her shoulders began to shake, Chat pulled her into his chest and held her tightly. He reached one hand up to hold her head against him, using the other to rub circles into her back.

“I’m worried, Chat.” She continued quietly. “He hasn’t been answering anyone’s calls. My friend even stopped by his house, but no one answered. I just keep imagining that someone will find him in an alley somewhere. I mean, he didn’t even know that his dad was Hawkmoth, but some people won’t believe that. What if someone thought he deserved to be punished too?”

She rambled on like this for a few more seconds until Chat pulled back and looked her straight in the eye. “I am sure he is fine.” He said. “He probably just needs time to figure things out. He’ll talk when he’s ready.”

Chat felt bad lying. The truth was that he had turned off his phone during the press conference and hadn’t bothered to check again because he had transformed. But it broke his heart to see his partner in such a state.

Chat pulled her back in, wrapping his arms around her. They stood like this for a few minutes, neither of them talking except for occasional utterances of reassurance from Chat to try to help her calm down. He felt his heart breaking at each quiet sob. He hated to hear her cry, but he was glad he was with her while this was happening. The thought of her crying alone made him so cold he shivered.

Ladybug sniffed, rubbed her nose, then pulled back and looked up at him. “Thanks.” She said, her voice so quiet he could barely hear her over the wind and city chatter.

“Anything for you, Bugaboo.” He replied.

She turned away and they stood, both leaning on the railing, in comfortable silence. The wind blew by. A couple walked down the street, sharing one of Andre’s sweetheart ice creams. Cars honked in the distance. The sound was normal, peaceful even. It was something that Chat hadn’t really had a chance to admire for years.

His heart rate slowed as he relaxed into the scene.

That was until the beautiful woman next to him said the last thing that he expected her to.

“Chat, I think I’m ready.”

“Ready for what?” he replied quizzically. And boy, was he unprepared for her response.

“I’m ready for us to reveal our identities.”


	2. Chapter 2: What We've Been Waiting For

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The title should tell you enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my gosh you guys, I literally only have one chapter up and I already have over 200 hits.  
> I love you all so much.  
> And all of your comments have been so encouraging! I love reading them.  
> Please keep giving kudos, sharing, and commenting on my work!  
> And enjoy this chapter :)

Chat Noir almost choked on the air he was breathing. “Wh-what?” he said, not sure he had heard her correctly.

                Ladybug turned to face him. “There’s no reason why we should hide it from each other anymore. I mean, keeping our identities a secret was protecting ourselves and our family and friends from Hawkmoth, but now that he’s captured…”

                Chat placed his hands on her shoulders and searched her eyes. She seemed sure, not worried or reserved. “If it’s what you want.” He replied. Even though she seemed sure, he never wanted to push her beyond her comfort zone.

                “It is.” She said, smiling.

                “Okay, then-” Chat cut himself off. The black ears that sat atop his mop of blonde hair fluttered and the hairs on the back of his next stood up.

                “Chat is everything okay?” Ladybug asked.

                He held up a hand and turned, ears still twitching. A breeze blew by again, and he finally heard it. A cry, so far off in the distance he almost couldn’t make it out. Chat inwardly groaned. _Perfect timing._ “Someone needs help.” He said.

                Ladybug nodded, disappointment clouding her face for only a moment, soon replaced by determination. The both leaped from the Eiffel Tower, swinging and bounding in the direction of the noise.

                When they had reached the source of the cry, they found a small child, no older than four, standing on a street corner. She was sitting on the ground crying so hard that Chat knew she would have a headache afterward. Her long, dark hair was sticking to the tears on her cheeks. He watched Ladybug approach the girl and lay a hand on her shoulder.

                “Hey there, sweetie. Are you lost?” she asked.

                The little girl reduced her sobbing to sniffling, turning to Ladybug and nodding.

                “Were you with your mommy or your daddy?” Ladybug continued.

                “Mommy and me went into the store and-“ she paused to sniff. “-I wanted to look at the candy, but she walked away and now-“ she sniffed again, “I can’t find her.”

                Tears began to stream again, and her lower lip trembled.

                Chat entered the conversation. “What does your mommy look like?” he asked.

The girl’s eyes lit up. “Everyone says she looks just like me! Except I think that my mommy is prettier.”

Chat chuckled. Ladybug smiled over at him, and he swore his heart had never felt so warm. He saw a future with her right in front of him. He saw their daughter saying that exact same thing about Ladybug, whoever she was under the mask. He saw himself teaching her how to read, playing dress-up with her, maybe even getting one of his designer friends to make her dresses. _Maybe Marinette could make her something._

“Chat?”

Chat blinked and focused back in on the situation. “Huh?” he said.

“I said we should take her into the store to see if we can find her mom.” She answered.

“Oh yeah! Okay.” He replied, still partially lost in his thoughts.

He reached out and took the girl’s hand. “Come on Little Lady, let’s go find your mama.”

“My name is Ava!” she smiled. “You can call me Ava!”

\------------------------------

                They searched every aisle of the store twice before they began to worry that Ava’s mom was no longer there. They even called for her over the intercom, but they still could not find her.

                Standing back outside the store, Chat watched cars roll by as he thought how else they could find her. “Maybe she was in the bathroom?” he suggested.

                Ladybug shook her head. “The intercom reaches the bathroom.”

                Chat sighed. He wracked his brain, trying to think. His head shot up. “Would your lucky charm work?” he asked.

                Ladybug shrugged. “Worth a try.” She said.

                She called for her lucky charm, and a lollipop fell into her hands. “Great.” She said sarcastically. “This is what got us into this mess.”

                Chat watched her look around for anything that could give her a hint. It took her less than a minute to grab his arm and yell, “I think she went to another store!”

                Without letting him reply, she picked up the girl and dragged him to a candy store just down the street. _That makes sense. Why didn’t I think of that?_

                The little bell on the door jingled as they entered. The cashier looked up from her post, and a look of relief washed over her face. “Are you Ava?” she asked. All three of the new customers nodded. The cashier smiled and ran from her spot into one of the isles. Not even ten seconds later, a woman with the same dark hair as Ava emerged with the cashier. She ran over to Ladybug and Chat Noir, taking Ava out of Ladybug’s arms and hugging her tight. While Ava smiled and laughed, the mother began crying.

                “I’m so sorry, baby.” She said softly. “I didn’t know where you had gone. I couldn’t find you. I was so worried. I thought you had seen the candy in the window and left the grocery store to look. I never meant to leave you.”

                Hugging her daughter tight once more, then setting her on the ground, the mother looked at Ladybug and Chat Noir. She paused for a moment, then pulled Chat into a hug. “Thank you.” She said, tears still glistening at the corners of her eyes.

Chat nodded, smiling. “All in a day’s work.” He said.

The mother smiled her thanks again, then turned to hug Ladybug. When the mother pulled away, Chat could have sworn that he saw his partner wipe at her eyes.

The pair of superheroes stood by the door as the mother and daughter walked into another aisle, searching for gummy bears the girl had begun begging for. A small sniff sounded next to Chat, and he turned to see Ladybug smiling, a few tears lining her cheeks. He put an arm around her shoulders and pulled her in, surprised when, not only did she not protest, but she put both arms around his waist. They held each other like this for a moment. Chat wished it could last forever. He felt cold when she moved away.

And then her miraculous beeped.

Her hands shot up to her ears, and she and Chat quickly exited the building, bounding for the rooftops. They had run across buildings for about a mile until they stopped on top of an apartment complex. The roof had a perfect view of the Seine. The late-night city lights reflected off the water; it was perfect.

Her miraculous beeped for the third time, signaling she only had a few minutes left.

“Chat…” she said hesitantly.

He turned to look at her, raising an eyebrow.

“What if I’m not what you expected?” she asked.

Chat felt his heart break at those words. Here, right in front of him, his entire world was worried that she would disappoint him. _He_ was the one who was worried how _she_ would react finding out who he was under the mask. The son of their arch-enemy? Not exactly dating material despite how she had spoken about Adrien earlier. But they had agreed to tell each other, and Chat wanted her to know everything that he had kept inside since he’d met her. He wanted to be able to finally let it all out.

So, he did something stupid.

He kissed her. Right then and there. He reached both hands up to cup her cheeks. She barely had time to say anything before his lips were on hers.

And just as quickly as it had begun, the kiss ended.

“Chat-“ Ladybug began, gaping slightly, confused at what had just happened.

“Ladybug.” Chat interrupted, his hands still holding her face. His eyes never left hers as he finally spoke the words he had been waiting years to say: “There is no way you could ever disappoint me. You are the reason I keep fighting for Paris. You are the reason I have survived this long. You are my best friend. I trust you with my life, but more than that, I trust you with my heart.”

Chat paused and took a breath. He searched her eyes for any hint as to what she was thinking, but he found himself lost. “I love you, Ladybug.” He said. “I have loved you since the day you fell from the sky when we were still in lycée. I love the way that you stand up for what is right. You are so _good_. You look like the person who wins in the end. You care about others so much that you forget yourself once in a while. You are the best person I have ever known, so no, you could never disappoint me.”

Ladybug smiled, soft and small. She reached a hand up to his cheek, and he leaned into it. “ _Mon minou_.” She said. “You truly know what to say to a lady.”

Chat smiled, “I only speak the truth.”

Ladybug smiled, and with a final beep, her transformation began to fall. She stepped back and took a deep breath. Pink sparkles made their way across her limbs, and as they did, Chat began to realize how much of an idiot he had been the last seven years. The love of his life had been right in front of him the whole time.

_Marinette Dupain-Cheng._

He had never smiled wider. “It’s you!” he exclaimed. He picked her up by her waist and spun her around; they both laughed as he did. “It’s been you this whole time, and I never realized, I-“

He paused, set her down, and stepped back, smiling wide as he said, “Claws in.”

_____________________________________________________________________________________

                Marinette was not prepared in the slightest.

                After the green glow had faded, she rubbed her eyes to make sure they were not deceiving her.

                “A-Adrien?” she said. He smiled at her, not that nice model smile, but that true, genuine smile that made her body feel like candle wax. “Hey there, Bugaboo.”

                Adrien reached out a pulled her close, and as he did Marinette reached up and cupped his cheeks.

                “ _Mon minou._ ” She whispered, eyes crinkling at the corners as she smiled.

                But then she realized who she was talking to. Her vision started to blur as her eyes brimmed with tears.

                “Mari? What’s-” Adrien began, but he was interrupted as she pulled him into a hug. She held him tightly, tears finally spilling over.

                “I’ve been so worried about you all day.” She said, her shoulders shaking as she fought back sobs. “I didn’t know where you were, and with your dad and all that, I didn’t know what to do.” She buried her face into his shoulder, not even caring that she would more than likely leave mascara marks.

                She couldn’t even imagine what was going through his head. The enemy that they both had been fighting for years had turned out to be his father. Adrien was now, though an adult, basically an orphan.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

                Adrien’s arms wrapped around her waist, holding her tight. He felt her shudder as she finally let herself cry. He didn’t even know what to do himself. Here he was, world-famous super-model, son of famous fashion-mogul-turned-super-villain, Adrien Agreste, and he didn’t know how to console his best friend.

He had dealt with almost every kind of tears from other models he worked with: angry, fake, happy, even painful, but the one kind that his father did not tolerate were sad tears. Adrien had long since learned how to work his sadness out in other forms. When all he wanted to do was cry, he would go outside and run through the streets of Paris, usually in the middle of the night. The cool breeze felt as good a relief as any, but Adrien still wondered if crying helped as much as people said it did.

Now that he thought about it, the first time he had cried for a long time was after his father’s arrest.

Even after all his father had done—all that he was now more or less rid of—Adrien still ached.

This was his _father._ A terrible parent or not, that fact did not change.

And now he was in prison.

                Everything in his body ached to be relieved of this pain, but his eyes refused to release the water building up in the dam behind them.

                As Marinette continued to shake in his arms, he reached up a hand to hold her head, stroking her hair. He had different things to focus on right now.

                “Shhhh… shhh.” He whispered in an attempt to calm her down. “I’m right here. I’m okay.”

                She nodded into his shoulder but did not move away.

                They stood intertwined for a few minutes, comfortable silence between the two of them, until Marinette had fully calmed down and stepped back.

                “I’m just glad you’re okay.” She said, but then she paused. “Are you _really_ okay though?”

                Adrien hesitated, but then decided the best way is the honest way. He had taken off his superhero mask, why not take off his invisible one too?

                “I don’t know. I’m still processing. A lot has happened today.” He paused, wondering if he should continue, then finally electing to do so. “But not all of it was bad.”

                “Oh?” Marinette questioned.

                “Well,” Adrien blushed, “for starters, we were able to get Ava back to her mom.”

                Marinette smiled. “Yes, that was a good part.”

                “But more than that,” he continued, “I just found out that my best friend also happens to be the girl of my dreams.”

                Marinette’s eyes grew wide. “O-oh! Who?” she asked sheepishly, no longer keeping eye contact.

                Adrien took her hands in his. “Who else?” he asked, drawing her eyes back to him.

                She didn’t speak, a question lingering in her eyes.

                “Even from day one of Ladybug and Chat Noir, I knew I would never love anyone other than you,” Adrien said. “You fell out of the sky, and in an instant,  I fell for you. Your bravery is unmatched, your grace is mesmerizing, and your goodness is intoxicating. I can’t believe I never saw how you’re exactly the same as Marinette. You constantly stand in front of danger for your friends, suit or no suit. You handle every situation you face so beautifully. Everyone knows how _good_ your heart is. Ladybug is great because _you_ are Ladybug, not the other way around.”

                Marinette wiped her eyes and smiled. “So, all seven years of flirting was for real?” she asked.

                Adrien laughed. “More real than you could ever know.”

                “And to think I thought that _the_ Adrien Agreste would never like clumsy little me.”

                Adrien blinked. “You- you liked me?” he said.

                Marinette stared back at him. “Uh… yeah.” She said matter-of-factly. “I’ve literally had a crush on you since lycée.”

                Adrien snorted. Then he chuckled. Soon he was bending over, chest shaking as he laughed.

                Marinette watched, dumbfounded. “What?!” she asked.

                “We have both been in love with each other for years, but we never knew it.” He replied.  

“Yeah, you both are blind.” Said Plagg from a few feet away, where he and another kwami had been sitting during this whole ordeal.

Marinette blinked, then smiled. “Is this your kwami?” she asked, reaching out her hands to hold Plagg, who surprisingly accepted.

Adrien nodded. “Yep. That’s Plagg.” He said. “And I suppose this is yours too.” A small red and black bug kwami had floated over. He patted her tiny head, and she chuckled and hugged his thumb. “I’m Tikki.” She said.

“Hi, Tikki,” Adrien responded. “Question. Did you know Plagg before this?”

Plagg left Marinette’s hands and flew over to float beside Tikki.

“We’ve known each other since the very beginning.” She said. “The Cat and Ladybug Miraculous have always been together, so Plagg and I have known each other for centuries.”

Plagg nodded, then attacked Tikki with a hug. Adrien was surprised at this; Plagg had only shown affection a handful of times. Tikki must really mean a lot to him. They _have_ been best friends for thousands of years, so that makes sense.

_Hmmm._

Adrien looked over at Marinette, whose eyes were on the kwamis. “Maybe that’s why I feel like I’ve known you forever.” He said.

Marinette looked up. “I guess you’re right.” She said, smiling. “We are two halves of the same whole. The yin and yang.”

Adrien walked over to her and pulled her in close. He reached up and brushed a hand through her short hair. She had long since grown out of the pigtails from her youth. Now, she was an adult, and still the most beautiful woman Adrien had ever seen. His heart began to beat faster as he drew in the will to repeat the words he had said earlier.

“I love you.”

Adrien blinked. She had beat him to it.

_She loves me. She loves me._

Adrien grinned so widely that his cheeks ached. “Bugaboo, I guarantee I love you more.”

Marinette blushed, but smirked as she said, “Nope. Not possible.”

Adrien returned her smirk, then leaned in as he said, “Oh yeah? How about I prove it?”

And before she could answer, his lips were on hers. Her breath hitched, and she was tense for a moment, but then she leaned into him, returning the kiss. He wrapped his arms around her waist, and she reached up to run her fingers through his hair. He felt himself inwardly turn to mush. This is what he had been waiting for; to know that Ladybug loved him. Even with all of the events of the day, he had never felt happier.

Once they had pulled apart, Adrien pressed his forehead against hers, eyes still closed. They stood like this, holding each other, listening to the other breathe. She smelled like vanilla with a hint of cinnamon. It reminded him of the coffee she would always order when they ate out. She was funny like that—a creature of habit. Her sushi order never changed for Sushi Saturday. She always ordered a vanilla latte with a dash of cinnamon on top. She always put fruit on her waffles, never butter. He wondered what else she did that he didn’t know about.

And he couldn’t wait to learn.

“Hey, Bugaboo.” He whispered.

“Hm?” she replied.

“How about some sushi?”

Marinette gave a small laugh. “That sounds nice.” But then she paused and leaned away.

“But I think there is something we need to do first.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AHHHHHHHHHHH  
> Finally a reveal.  
> I wrote this chapter in the angst of no reveal following the Troublemaker episode.  
> Do you guys think Adrien knows? TBH I think he does. That smirk in the locker scene was too flirty. 
> 
> Also, shoutout to MiniMinou for suggesting the Something with Convenient Timing™  
> You're responsible for this.  
> Much love to you all! The next chapter is already in progress.  
> (and she's gonna be good)


	3. Chapter 3: We're All Okay

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The rest of the gang gets a surprise, and Adrien wrestles with some news.

The breeze from the top of the Eiffel Tower was chilly, but the leather-clad arm wrapped around Ladybug's shoulders did wonders to keep her warm.

The nighttime Parisian streetlights reflected off of the shop windows below them. Shoppers of all kinds milled in and out of stores, some carrying bags and laughing with friends, others simply walking hand in hand with their lover. Ladybug had fantasized about that for years: walking hand in hand with Adrien Agreste, stopping in stores to occasionally look at something that caught their eye, but mostly just finding contentment in each other’s presence.

Never in a million years had she ever seen her fantasies coming true.

She had her head tucked in the crook of Chat Noir's neck, her arms wrapped around his waist. His clawed hand rubbed calming circles in her arm as his eyes drifted shut. She could hear a low purr coming from deep inside his chest as it rose and fell in even beats. She knew he was trying to hide it--he'd always thought it was weird--but to be honest, it was endearing.

She moved a hand up to stroke his face, rubbing a thumb along his cheekbone as his eyes opened to meet hers.

She felt his tail wrap around her waist as he leaned in to kiss the top of her head, his purr growing more audible.

They almost missed three pairs of feet softly landing behind them.

"Well, it's about time!" Rena yelled.

Ladybug jumped at the exclamation, turning around quickly to face the orange, yellow, and green superheroes behind them.

"Wha-what?" She said, attempting nonchalance.

"Girl, don't try to play that with us." Rena retorted. "We see right through it."

"Like seriously," Queen Bee added, "we aren't blind. Besides, we've all been waiting for this for years. Speaking of which..." she turned to Carapace. "You owe me twenty euros."

She held out her hand, but the wannabe Ninja Turtle raised his hands. "Dude, I don't exactly keep money on my suit."

"Fine," Queen said. "I expect it soon, though."

As the group discussed bet rewards, Ladybug felt her cheek turn warm red, embarrassed by the reaction of her peers. Chat laughed beside her, placing his arm across her shoulders once more. "Ignore them," He said, "It's their job to make fun of us."

"Hey! Who's making fun?" Rena chided.

"You." Carapace said bluntly.

Rena shot him a look that could melt through metal, but the turtle simply responded with a smirk.

"Whatever." Queen Bee cut in. "Why did you mysteriously call us all up here? Hawkmoth is in prison and our job here is done, isn't it?"

"Not necessarily." Ladybug began. "But I think there is something we need to get out of the way before we consider that."

The other supers raised an eyebrow.

"Basically," Chat continued for her, "in a slightly planned, slightly not planned turn of events, LB and I took off our masks."

Carapace gaped, Queen Bee huffed, and Rena dropped her arms from their crossed position and took a step back. "Hey!” the fiery red-head said, “I thought we agreed to keep that secret! That was YOUR idea Ladybug, not ours. You always ramble on about 'protecting our family and friends' and crap like that."

Ladybug hesitated. "I know, and I stood by that. But now that the threat has been..." she paused, looking a Chat, wincing before saying, "...eliminated, we don't have to hide it from anymore."

"She has a point." Carapace said.

Everyone was silent for a moment until each one of the supers nodded to one another.

"Fine," Rena said. "Let's do this."

They each reverted their transformations, not looking up until the last sparkle had faded.

Needless to say, there were a lot of wide eyes and open mouths.

In the next instant, they were all yelling each other’s names in shock, the loudest, as always, was Alya's.

"MARINETTE?!" She screamed, staring dumbfounded at her best friend.

Marinette gave a small smile and a wave, unsure how to react. She couldn’t tell if Alya was happy or mad, and she didn’t want to test her luck.

Alya paused, then said, "Wait. You're the one who chose me. Ladybug gave me my Miraculous. You chose me?!"

Marinette nodded, still a little afraid to speak.

"Mar, you know it makes me sad that you couldn't trust me with your secret identity, but damn girl, thank you for Trixx."

The small fox kwami flirted around to sit on Alya's head, burrowing comfortably into her large curls.

Marinette smiled. "I couldn't have picked anyone else."

"Me either," Adrien added, fist bumping Nino, whose turtle kwami rested on the brim of his hat, quietly watching everything unfold. "Thanks, man" Nino added. "Wayzz has been great for more than just crime fighting. The dude taught me some great yoga. I've never been more aligned with myself."

Alya laughed. "That explains a lot."

Nino smirked, then slid an arm around her waist and pulled her toward him.

“You know,” Alya said, “I kinda knew it was you.”

Nino blinked, eyes wide. “How?” he asked, shocked.

“Babe, you may be cute, but you aren’t that subtle,” Alya smirked. “You called Ladybug ‘dude’ on day one. Anansi, remember?”

Nino blushed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Yeah, I could’ve been better about that.”

“I can’t say I’m shocked we all knew each other though,” Chloe interjected. “It’s not like a superhero would give an all-powerful being to some random kid.”

"I have to admit," Alya continued, "I'm surprised you're Queen, Chloe."

The blonde crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow, her kwami mimicking every movement simultaneously. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Alya held up a hand as a signal for peace. "I'm just saying, girl, when you joined the team, you were just beginning to shed your bitch skin at school.”

“Excuse you!” Chloe sneered. “Both you and Marinette Dupain-Cheng”—she pointed at Marinette, who standing sheepishly by Adrien—”loved to remind me of that. It didn’t help you know.”

Alya held up her hands. “Girl, I was kidding! I meant to say you’ve come a long way. It’s pretty cool.”

Chloe’s frown dropped. “Oh, well… thanks.” A small smile appeared on her face.

Even though she had changed so much over the years, Chloe was still defensive and hard to compliment. Years of dealing with her horrible mother and pushover father had left her with a broken identity, but she was beginning to crawl out of it and build her new self piece by piece.

They had all changed since they first got their miraculouses. Marinette had never felt more confident in herself. Adrien had experienced true freedom for the first time in his life. Alya was finally seeing that there was more to being a superhero than the glamour of it. Nino was finally seeing himself as strong—literally coming out of his shell.

Chloe had changed the most. Where anger and spite had once infected her, kindness and joy were slowly blooming. She was now living on her own, managing an interesting yet steady relationship with a particular red-headed artist.

Marinette smiled to herself.

“You know, kitty?” she said quietly, so that none of the others could hear.

“Hm?” Adrien replied.

“We’re all okay. We’re doing okay.”

Even through the obscurity of it, Adrien understood.

“Yeah. We are.”

 _______________________________________________________________________________

 

_“Six months have passed since Gabriel Agreste’s arrest, and his trial is finally over. The former-fashion-mogul-turned-supervillain is now behind bars and-.”_

Adrien looked over his shoulder to find Marinette with the remote in her hand. She stood just behind him, having emerged from her kitchen just moments before. He would’ve told her to put it back on if he hadn’t known what the reporter was going to say.

Fifteen years. Possible parole. His father had pleaded guilty, recounting how the unbearable grief of his deceased wife had led him to rampage the city in search of a miracle.

And the worst of it? Adrien hadn’t even known she was dead. Eight years he had thought she was just missing, that he could see her again. Now he never would.

The young model dropped his head in his hands, his fingers tightening around strands of his hair. He pushed his palms into his eyes and could not help the sobs that shook his shoulders.

He felt Marinette move to sit beside him, wrapping her arms around him and pulling him to her chest, rubbing circles in his back as he cried out everything he had held in since his mother disappeared.

She had been there when his father revealed to the jury the illness she had contracted abroad that killed her in less than a week. She held his hand as Adrien sat, eyes wide, and listened to his father explain how he had kept her body in the atrium, preserved, just in case he could finally get Ladybug and Chat Noir’s miraculouses.

But he never did.

And it tore Adrien apart inside. In a matter of six months, everything had fallen apart.

But also, even through all of it—the trials, the testimonies, the bad news, and the worse news—there was his shining light.

Marinette had been by his side the whole time. Even now, as he sat in his new apartment sobbing in her arms, she didn’t leave him. She didn’t stop caring. She didn’t even flinch away.

And damn, did he love her for it.

For years he had been seeking any kind of love he could. On the rare occasions that his father showed affection, Adrien reveled in it. It was all he had ever wanted, even if it came so infrequently.

But Marinette was different. He knew he didn’t have to be perfect for her. He knew that he could cry, and she wouldn’t think him weak; he knew that he could be happy, and she would share in it. She was what he had been looking for, and she had been right in front of him this whole time.

Adrien pulled away from her ever so slightly, wiping the remaining tear streaks off of his face. He met her eyes, knowing more strongly than ever that he loved her. He reached up and ran his fingers through her hair, stopping to cup her cheek. He gave a small, yet genuine, smile. She gave him a small smile back, tears lightly glistening in the corners of her eyes.

He relished in this for a moment, just sitting with her, before speaking.

“I think I should visit him.” He said quietly.

Marinette blinked. The emotions behind her eyes became a blurring mix of conflict and confusion. Eventually, she nodded. “That would be good.” She replied, still slightly hesitant. “But be careful, okay?”

Adrien nodded, and before he could psych himself out, he kissed Marinette on her forehead, pulled on a coat and scarf, and close the front door behind him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that this chapter was a little short! It ended at a good spot to pick up from for the next chapter.  
> Which will be very, very interesting.


	4. Chapter 4: Times are Hard for Dreamers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien visits his father in prison, and he gets a little lost on the way home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What?! TWO chapters uploaded in 24 hours?!  
> Y'all, fall break has been so good for a writing mood. 
> 
> Also, to the musical theatre fans reading this, enjoy the Amelie reference.
> 
> Also, I love reading your comments! Please continue leaving more!

Prison was different than Adrien expected, to say the least. It was low-security, so most of the inmates just walked through the halls, some doing chores, others talking amongst themselves. Most of them didn’t necessarily look happy to be there, but they didn’t exactly seem to be hating it.

  
Adrien rounded a corner, following the directions that the front desk receptionist had given him. He finally found the classroom she had mentioned. A row of computers lined the wall on one side, sitting opposite two tables with various office supplies. The entire back wall was full of books, mostly educational it seemed.  
It was nice. But Adrien also couldn’t help but notice how much the layout reminded him of his own room.

  
“Adrien?” said a familiar voice behind him.  
Adrien turned to face his father, attempting to hide the shock on his face.

  
Gabriel Agreste, famous former fashion designer, terrorizer of Paris, looked terrible. His formerly tall, stiff blonde hair now sat flat, partially covering his face. The lack of product had left it dingey, and Adrien could tell it hadn’t been washed in a while. His father had formed more wrinkles since he had last seen him. His eyes had grown duller, and the bags under his eyes were purple. And the most noticeable, where his father had once stood tall in a doorway, ready to dominate a conversation, he now slouched in on himself, his eyes wide, confused, and showing the tiniest hint of fear.

  
His father had never shown fear if he could help it.

  
“Hello, father.” He said coolly, not quite ready to show emotion.

  
“What… what are you doing here?” Gabriel asked, no longer meeting Adrien’s eyes.

  
“Isn’t it obvious?” Adrien replied, starting to feel the heat in his chest rise.

  
Gabriel was silent. He stared at the floor, looking pitiful in his solid-colored jumpsuit and prison-issued sneakers.

  
But Adrien couldn’t bring himself to feel pity just yet.

  
“I know why you think you did it.” Adrien began, fighting the shaking in his hands. “But why did you have to do it like that?”

  
Gabriel still didn’t speak. This only made his son angrier.

  
“How could you not tell me about mom?!” He screamed. Gabriel flinched but still stayed silent. “How?!” Adrien continued. “She was dead, dammit! My mother was dead, and you couldn’t bother to tell your fifteen-year-old son that his mother was never coming back. How do you do that to your own family? I spent seven years believing I might someday see her again, and I have to hear it from you in front of an entire jury, judge, and tv crew! Dammit-.” Adrien finally stopped, clenching his fists. He finally looked up and met his father’s fearful eyes.

  
Silence stretched between them for a few beats until his father finally spoke. It was so quiet, Adrien almost missed it.

  
“I couldn’t lose you, too.”

  
Adrien almost laughed. “And I can see your plan worked perfectly. Locking me away from the entire world? The perfect plan to make sure your son didn’t grow up to resent you.”

  
Gabriel stared at Adrien pleadingly, whispering. “Son, I never meant to do that, I… I just didn’t know what to do.”

  
Silence returned. Adrien walked over to a couch in the corner and at, running his hand across his face and through his hair.

  
“How…how have you been?” Gabriel attempted.

  
Adrien softened. “As well as I could be. The reporters stopped calling as much.”

  
Gabriel nodded. “And Marinette Dupain-Cheng? I saw you with her at the trial and…” he trailed off.

  
Adrien smiled at the thought of his little bug. “She great,” he said. “I love her. More than she knows, I think.”

  
For the first time since he had arrived, Gabriel gave a small smile, his eyes lightening ever so slightly. “That’s wonderful, son,” he said. “You deserve that.” Gabriel paused. “I have to ask. What do you plan to do with the company?”  
He knew that question was coming. He had spent the last six months finding the answer.

  
“Lanvin will be buying the company,” He said. “I will be speaking with Bouchra Jarrar soon.”

  
Gabriel’s eyes widened. “But… surely, you’ll stay on the board, yes? You can’t just give it up!”

  
He met his father’s gaze, not relenting an inch. “I will still have stake in the company, but as for everything else, Jarrar will have free reign. I want no part in it.”

  
His father sat up, finding that domineering attitude Adrien was all too familiar with. “Son, you cannot do that. You must stay on the board! You cannot just give up everything we’ve built.”

  
“You’ve built, you mean,” he retorted. “And yes, I can. Because you decided to terrorize Paris while simultaneously putting your fashion business before your son.”

  
“But-!”

  
“No ‘but’s about it,” Adrien said sharply. “I am removing myself from the business. In fact,” he took a deep breath, “I am in school. I am going to be a teacher.”

  
Gabriel had the audacity to scoff. “You’ve become quite the dreamer, Adrien.”

  
Adrien was about to retort when his phone began to ring in his pocket. He pulled it out and saw that Marinette was calling. “I should go,” he said. “I need to answer this.”  
He stood and walked toward the door. “Goodbye, father.”

  
“Adrien,” his father said just as he was about to exit. “Be careful. Times are hard for dreamers.”

  
Adrien stood for a moment, then turned and left without another word.

Adrien boarded the subway, standing at the end of the car, lost in thought.

  
So lost in thought that he missed his stop.  
He stepped off the train and checked the sign. He was about half a mile from Sacré-Cœur.

  
Might as well explore a little.

  
Adrien emerged from the subway station and entered the milling crowds. The streets were lined with small shops, bakeries, and restaurants. His stomach growled as he passed a patisserie, and he gave in an entered.

  
He took a deep breath, taking in the scent of baking bread, sweet eclairs, and coffee. It smelled like Marinette after a day of helping her parents in their shop. She’d usually have flour in her hair by the time he’d stop by. He’d never point it out, but he would revel in her oblivion. She looked cute with the little streaks anyway.

  
Adrien smiled at the thought, then greeted the kind woman behind the counter, ordering a chocolate croissant and coffee.  
After an hour of walking, Adrien held two bags in his hand. One held another treat from a patisserie he had passed and could not resist, and the other held a small gift for Marinette. He had seen it in one of the small boutiques he had visited, and it only took a small inquiry from the associate to have him handing her his credit card.  
Throughout his adventure, however, he could not shake the anxiety nipping at the back of his neck.

  
_So times are hard for dreamers, huh? Well they won't be hard for me._

  
He’d prove to his father that he could succeed. He would not give up.

  
And, almost as if it was a sign, Adrien saw an ad for a vacant second-floor apartment. It only took Adrien a minute before his phone was out and dialing the number on the ad.

Two hours later, Adrien was calling Marinette, telling her to meet him at Le Cabanon de la Butte restaurant for dinner.  
___________________________________  
Marinette didn’t know what to expect, but taking the metro almost an hour to Sacré-Cœur hadn’t been high on the list. Nonetheless, she obliged. She had even managed to draw a little on the subway.  
She found Adrien standing outside of the restaurant, grinning widely as he saw her approach.

  
“Mi’lady, you look ravishing tonight.” He said, ever so Chat-Noir-like. Marinette blushed. “Well,” she replied. “When I am dragged all the way here, I should at least dress for an occasion, shouldn’t I?”

  
It wasn’t much, but Marinette did like it. After receiving Adrien’s call, she had donned an emerald green long-sleeved dress that ended just above her knees. To keep some heat in her legs, she wore black tights that complimented her tan wedged boots well. The velvet material of her dress left her warm enough to leave behind a coat, but she added a scarf to the ensemble just in case she got chilly.

  
Actually, now that she thought about it, she looked pretty damn good.

  
They took their seats inside, seated in a table next to a window. The low lighting of the restaurant set a romantic mood, and Marinette was thankful for a date like this. It had been the first truly special outing since Gabriel’s trial. She knew Adrien needed a break.

  
Dinner was relaxing. They had sipped through their glasses of wine and shared a duck foie gras as they chatted about their days. Adrien relayed his conversation with his father, to which Marinette listened quietly. She knew he needed to let it out, even though they were both still wondering how their father-son relationship would progress. He also explained how he had missed his stop and ended up here, causing his girlfriend to laugh.

  
“That sounds like something I’d do, not you.” She said, stepping out into the chilly night, holding his hand.

  
The gorgeous blonde at her side laughed. “You’re not wrong.” He said.

  
“What else did you do here?” she asked, remembering he had mentioned a surprise.  
Adrien grinned and reached into his coat pocket. “I know I said I had a surprise,” he said. “But I actually have two.”

  
Marinette gasped as he pulled a small necklace chain from his pocket, on the end of which hung a stunning tear-drop shaped ruby attached to a small white diamond.

  
“I know you normally don’t like extravagant gifts,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck. “But I couldn’t say no to this. You’ve been my rock these last few months, and I wanted to thank you for that.”

  
She smiled and turned so he could put it on for her. She held the pendant in her hand, admiring the heirloom gemstone. “It’s beautiful, Adrien.” She said, looking up at him. Her heart swelled as she met his eyes. Every ounce of love she felt she saw mirrored in his eyes, shining as she drew close to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. “I must truly have the luck of a ladybug to be able to have you,” she said, leaning her head on his chest.

  
He reached up to caress her cheek. “I believe I am the one who has the luck of the lady. She’s mine, in my arms, right now.”

  
Marinette pulled back just enough to meet his eyes. “And I’m never leaving,” she said, leaning in so that their noses touched. Adrien closed the distance and pressed his lips to hers ever so tenderly. Even though they had been together months, the young designer still got butterflies in her stomach when he kissed her. He was never too rough; each kiss was filled with more love than could fill Marinette’s heart. Every time, she was reminded that they were truly two halves of the same whole.

  
She pulled away and smiled up at him, staying silent for a moment before saying, “Now what’s your second surprise? Because if it’s better than that I might need to sit down.”

  
Adrien smirked in such a Chat Noir way before taking her hand and leading her down the street.

  
It only took them ten minutes to reach the apartment building that no longer boasted a vacancy ad. About one block back, Adrien had asked Marinette to close her eyes, and she kept them closed even as he led her into the elevator of the complex. They reached the second floor, and Adrien practically dragged his girlfriend to the door. He couldn’t wait to see what she thought as he opened the door and turned on the lights.

  
“You can open your eyes now!” he said.  
Marinette obliged, and was quiet as she took everything in, slight confusion on her face. “Is this yours?” she asked.  
Adrien nodded, now a little nervous that she didn’t like it.

  
Those nerves were quickly soothed, however, when she smiled at him and walked further in. “Your kitchen is so big!” she exclaimed, walking over to stand behind the quartz countertops. “I’m going to have to come over and cook for you more often now.”

  
Adrien laughed. “I think I’ll need it unless I want to poison myself.”

  
He showed Marinette through the rest of the apartment. The kitchen was open to a large living space with large windows that led outside to a balcony. Down a hallway, there were three bedrooms and a guest bathroom. In one of the bedrooms, an air mattress had already been laid on the floor.  
“Will you be selling your father’s house?” she asked curiously.

  
Adrien nodded beside her. “I needed to get out of there.” He said. “It’s too big and empty. And I think your parents were starting to get tired of me sleeping on the couch when I didn’t want to be trapped there.”

  
Marinette giggled. “They like you just fine. They did find it a little strange though.”  
They walked back out into the main space, sparsely furnished with a couch and a coffee table. They sat on the couch and talked, Adrien mostly telling stories about strange and amusing interactions he’s had during his shopping trip. It didn’t take long for Marinette to fall asleep in his arms as he spoke.

He smiled at her relaxed state, and slowly stood in an attempt to keep her from stirring. He slipped off her shoes and set them by the couch, then reached under her to pick her up and carry her to the bedroom with the air mattress. He gently laid her on top, covering her with a blanket. He set her purse beside the bed, taking out a makeup wipe and doing his best to remove what he could without disturbing her. He then kissed her forehead lightly and left the room, leaving the door slightly cracked so he could hear her in case she woke up.

  
As he laid on the couch in the living room, he started to imagine all that he could do with this new space. He thought about painting the walls one weekend with Marinette. He’d wear overalls and she’d humor him and do the same. She would probably spill some paint and freak out, only to realize the floor was covered in a tarp.

  
The more Adrien thought about what he could do, the more he realized every aspect involved the beautiful dark-haired girl quietly sleeping in his room. He couldn’t imagine his life without her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AHHHH I LOVE ANGST AND FLUFF  
> in case you couldn't tell.
> 
> Also, this is the necklace Adrien bought Marinette. Its pretty dang gorgeous.  
> https://www.angara.com/p/pear-ruby-and-diamond-v-bale-pendant-sp0169r?stone_grade=aaaa&stone_size=9x6mm&metal_type=platinum&cid=ps-gpla-adg=45762566063-dyn=SP0169R-PT-AAAA-9X6-pla-468940392450-cmp=725466199&resetChannel=true&kid=_k_CjwKCAjwgabeBRBuEiwACD4R5gvisuXLD_505Xo5SbEk6dmHEFp_ssUPuQTpDt_LA9f8xpfTDk9WSBoCHl4QAvD_BwE_k_&gclid=CjwKCAjwgabeBRBuEiwACD4R5gvisuXLD_505Xo5SbEk6dmHEFp_ssUPuQTpDt_LA9f8xpfTDk9WSBoCHl4QAvD_BwE


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